Paint or chalk markings have been a standard method of delineating various traffic related items and controls for many years. The cheap, simple and durable properties of the method make them a simple and ideal way for presenting vibrant visual cues for drivers of motor vehicles. In particular, parking lots generally contain a high density of such paint markings for the purpose of delineating items and areas such as parking spots, handicapped spots, traffic lanes, directional arrows, no-parking zones, and the like.
One (1) problem associated with such chalk markings is that parking controls require fairly precise patterns and measurements. While some such lines may be adequately serviced by utilizing various paint-dispersing vehicles, many lines in particularly crowded or detailed areas require the lines to be painted by means of hand-driven apparatuses. The process of measuring such controls can be tedious by hand, and the process of maneuvering the apparatuses by hand is often lacking in time efficiency or precision.
Various attempts have been made to provide apparatuses intended to help a user when dispensing spray-type chalk or paint. Examples of these attempts can be seen by reference to several U.S. patents. U.S. Pat. No. 3,352,283, issued in the name of Maus, describes a striping device. The Maus device is a common hand-pushed type spray-paint apparatus which allows a user to wheel the device while providing a constant spreading spray of aerosol type paint.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,207, issued in the name of Jurcisin, describes a line striper apparatus with an optical sighting means. The Jurcisin apparatus is disposed with a forward bar guide which aids a user in maintaining a straight line while employing the wheeled spray painting method.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,413,012, issued in the name of Jones, describes a striping apparatus for vehicle travel surfaces. The Jones apparatus is a telescoping boom attachment for striping devices which allows a user to adjust the angle of spray.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives, each of these references suffer from one (1) or more of the aforementioned disadvantages. Many such apparatuses do not provide for various types of lines such as dotted lines commonly used in the initial marking of parking lot areas. Also, many such apparatuses do not provide accommodations for multiple cans of spray chalk. In addition, many such apparatuses do not provide guiding means suitable for accurately marking offset lines as commonly encountered in the painting of parking lots. Furthermore, many such apparatuses are not provided with simple horizontal and vertical adjusting means to allow a user to adjust spacing and handle height. Accordingly, there exists a need for a hand-driven chalk dispensing apparatus for parking lot marking without the disadvantages as described above. The development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need.